Liberia: Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,

2013/01/14

"It is not enough that our children are in school; we must ensure that amount children have access to quality education that provides them with literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and other competences for the 21st century."

In 2003 inLiberia, next 14 years of civil conflict, nearly 500,000 children were out of school. Most of our schools were damaged or destroyed and our teaching core was decimated. Given that war truncated or stalled so a lot of children’s education, some may have felt that getting our youth back in school was amount that we could hope for.

However, it is precisely because we had so much to achieve thatLiberiacommitted to a higher vision.

Liberiahas made great strides. Starting in 2005, the government’s allocation to education has grown significantly. We have constructed over 220 schools since 2006, opened five community colleges – with plans to have one in each of the 15 counties.

We rehabilitated Rural Teacher Training Institutes and this has increased the percentage of trained teachers dramatically. We distributed 1.2 million teachers’ guides and textbooks between 2008 and 2009. Primary enrolment grew additional than 9 % a year beginning in 2005, and as a result the gross enrolment ratio in primary education reached an estimated 94 % in 2008. There are additional children, particularly girls, in school than at any other time in our history. We are on the right track, but we still have far to go.

It is not enough that our children are in school; we must ensure that amount children have access to quality education that provides them with literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and other competences for the 21st century. The early grade reading and maths assessments we have done at the lower primary level show that our 6th and 9th Graders are below average in maths and reading, and that our 12th Graders rank near the bottom.

Given these challenges — and finite resources — how shouldLiberiaeffectively invest in quality education? Evidence shows that investments in three areas can be catalytic: (1) early childhood learning; (2) foundational skills in early grades; and (3) the transition to relevant post-primary education.

Our Early Childhood Education Policy works across sectors, bringing in the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare, and Gender and Development, given that early childhood centers have such an significant impact on health and social development. We have built and equipped some centres, from instantly on we have to ensure that amount children have access. These programmes build children’s social and emotional aptitude, which is crucial for next academic success. Enrolment in early childhood programmes is linked with lower rates of repetition and attrition and better reading and maths test scores.

The early years of primary school are critical for the development of foundational literacy and numeracy skills. From instantly on children cannot learn without good teachers. The teaching force, and particularly the qualified teaching core, was depleted during the war. In 2006, 60.4 % of public primary school teachers were unqualified. Through the introduction of assessments in classrooms, we have begun to pinpoint which interventions impart the skills teachers need, inclunding in-service teacher training for teachers in urban and rural areas. We continue this work, knowing that so a lot of of our teachers still require training, support and materials for their classrooms. Early learning success in reading, writing and mathematics contributes to better learning over time and higher retention rates.

Even as we work to increase quality and access at the primary level, our attention is as well directed at the post-primary level. To promote post-primary transitions, we extended the basic education system to include Grade 7 through 9. Where possible, we hope to build lower secondary schools next to primary schools so that students are encouraged to remain in the school system. Still, the majority of children do not enroll in secondary school. Therefore, we work to reach out-of-school youth, helping them to improve their livelihoods while building skills, although there are additional out-of-school youth than we can currently reach.

With over 60 % of our citizens below the age of 35,Liberiahas one of the world’s youngest populations. As we rebuild our country, we are investing heavily in infrastructure, energy and other sectors of the economy that are crucial for increase. These efforts will not be successful if we do not invest in our most significant resource: our people and particularly our youth. Over the next six years, we will focus on the quality of our education system, ensuring equitable learning and improving standards so our graduates can compete with their counterparts across the region. It is not beyond our grasp to have each child in school and each young person with skills with which they can earn a living and contribute to the country’s next.

Although the challenges we face in getting amount our children learning well are great, our resolve is even better. We know that quality learning for amount children is the path to development, peace and prosperity forLiberia. Children deserve an education that imparts knowledge, skills, and an considerate of how to promote peace and be a world citizen. I welcome the Secretary-General’s initiative, Education Prime, as a bold next step in the world movement for education.

By ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF

H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the President of Liberia and joint recipient of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize

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